(a/n – so here we reach the end of this little journey between our characters in this AU. I do so hope that you've all enjoyed it. Your feedback is what I thrive on.)
Chapter 4
Jason Haynes is a proper grown up adult. He has a grown-up job which lets him earn money. He doesn't especially love his job but it is easy to do and he feels like he is very efficient at it. He works at Holby City Hospital as a CAA. This is good because his Auntie Serena also works at Holby City Hospital. She is the consultant surgeon and clinical lead on the Acute Assessment Unit. She is very good at her job and her staff are very friendly. What is even better is that Major Bernie, Jason's other favourite person, has also got a part-time job on AAU at Holby City Hospital.
Major Bernie has a proper job looking after Jason, but she is really a surgeon and so Jason understands that she wants to make sure she is still good at mending people. Also, he does not need that much help anymore because he has a job, so thinks it is silly that Major Bernie gets paid for looking after him. Major Bernie agrees with him. Jason travels into work with Auntie Serena (and Major Bernie if she is also working) and it is very nice. Usually Auntie Serena stays the night so she is already there in the morning. Sometimes she comes and picks him up if she has stayed at her house. This does not happen very often.
More and more frequently, Jason and Major Bernie stay overnight at Auntie Serena's house. She has a very nice house and Jason thinks he may just prefer it to Major Bernie's house. Auntie Serena's house has stairs. Jason realises that a bungalow was much more practical for Major Bernie when she was first discharged from the military but now thinks that she manages the stairs well enough because she is pretty much healed. Jason likes that Auntie Serena's house has stairs because going up and down stairs both burns calories and is fun. Also, Jason has a slinky which he has kept from his childhood and he can run it down Auntie Serena's stairs and remember his Mum. His slinky is green and made of plastic and does not always make it to the bottom of the steps. For his birthday, Major Bernie gives him a metal slinky that is copper coloured and very robust. Jason immediately wants to try it out. Next time they are at Auntie Serena's he does. The metal slinky is ever so slightly faster than his plastic one. He cannot wait to set up races between the two objects.
Jason likes working on AAU with his Auntie Serena. He thinks being a CAA is a little bit boring but he can manage the work easily enough. It is even better now Major Bernie is helping out on the ward too, because then he travels to and from Holby City Hospital with his two most favourite people in the world. As much as he enjoys travelling on buses, Auntie Serena's car is much more convenient and a lot faster.
Jason gets to visit a lot of wards in his new job as CAA. He does not especially like the job though. Once he has analysed all the wards and given them the correct spreadsheets and reports he finds that the heads of department do not always like him very much anymore. He completes his assessment of AAU last. He wanders around meeting interesting patients and seeing how Auntie Serena, Major Bernie and the rest of the staff work. He finds a loophole where things may not be as efficient as they could be.
Jason goes about his job diligently and notices that when Major Bernie is on the ward she and Auntie Serena spend a good proportion of their time staring at one another, and in Auntie Serena's case, at him too. He decides to inform them of this at the end of a shift where he catalogued them staring at one another for a total of two hours and thirteen minutes of the fourteen hour day.
He walks towards the consultant's office where he sees Major Bernie perched on Auntie Serena's desk holding a cup of tea. Auntie Serena is sat rather close to her on her chair, almost between her legs. She also has a cup of tea. Jason momentarily smiles, because this is good evidence to show that Major Bernie is once again healthy. Being able to hoist herself onto a desk means that she might be able to get back being really, really strong like the contestants on World's Strongest Man.
"I've finished collating," Jason begins.
"Excellent." Auntie Serena seems impressed by his proficiency. Jason continues.
"Patients are waiting more than an hour to be moved or discharged. They aren't able to go home." This seems tragic to Jason, he remembers when Major Bernie was on AAU and all he wanted was her to come home safely because the hospital was a scary and unfamiliar place. He continues with the logic behind his argument. "So new patients aren't able to be transferred, because Ms Campbell," he pauses, it feels unfamiliar to use Auntie Serena's normal name when she's Auntie Serena so he is trying to use her formal name instead.
"Serena, Jason." Auntie Serena corrects him and he furrows his brow, determined that he will eventually get the hang of not using the word Auntie when talking to her on the ward. Jason continues with his findings.
"Isn't signing off her patients' discharge papers in time. This is causing a backlog because you take too much time over this." He points at her to emphasise his point. She looks a bit startled.
"Hang on, hang on, let me get this right. You're saying I'm the root of the problem?" Auntie Serena asks him to clarify. Jason wonders if he was not clear enough in his explanations. He decides to be as honest as possible with her.
"You have spent a lot of the day staring at both me and Major Bernie, when you could have been working." This is true. He noticed it on a number of occasions when Auntie Serena could have been signing off patient discharge forms. She looks confused so Jason, thinking he may have missed something, remember what he should add. "Serena." He smiles at her, pleased with himself for remembering to eliminate the word 'Auntie', and turns to leave the office so she and Major Bernie can discuss ways in which they can help Auntie Serena to not stare so much. Major Bernie splutters a little bit and looks at the ceiling whilst Auntie Serena appears thoughtful. Jason decides to leave and find his tall Swedish friend Mr Hanssen, but offers them some advice before he leaves.
"I'm very pleased you are both in love with one another but you mustn't let it affect your efficiency. See you in an hour Major Bernie and Auntie Serena."
Another perk of working at the hospital is that Jason gets to see more of Mr Hanssen. The man is very straightforward and wise, and is teaching Jason all about idioms. He now realises that 'break a leg' does not mean somebody wishes violence upon another, amongst other things. Mr Hanssen often takes Jason up to the roof where they can eat their respective lunches in the tranquillity that being at such a great height offers.
One day it strikes Jason that he has never asked Mr Hanssen if he has been to Holby City Museum. Jason asks him. Mr Hanssen replies that he has been, but it was many years ago. Jason tells him that he should go, and describes all the exhibits in great detail to him, alongside the ones which are no longer on display. Mr Hanssen seems very content to listen to Jason. He tells Jason that he is pleased to hear he enjoys the museum so much. Jason asks Mr Hanssen if he has been to any other interesting museums. Mr Hanssen describes one which showcases a Swedish ship which sank on its maiden voyage. Jason is enthralled and vows to seek out a documentary or book about the Vasa which he can read. He thinks that he could maybe visit his friend Pete at the college library. He might be able to help.
They go back to Auntie Serena's house that night and Jason is excited. He has a corkboard and Major Bernie is helping him to fix it to his wall. Auntie Serena has said that the room is now basically Jason's so he can decorate it as he pleases. He has several posters which he has bought from the gift shop at Holby City Museum which he wants to stick up. But he dislikes using sticky tack as it makes marks on walls. And sticky tape rips the poster when removed. After much consideration, he has decided that a cork board and drawing pins will be the neatest way of displaying his posters. He told Auntie Serena as much and she seemed thrilled, said Elinor didn't have as much consideration for the decorating when she had posters of boybands all over her walls.
Major Bernie helps Jason to move the desk out of the way so that she can put up a stepladder and hang the board to Jason's exact requirements. He sits on his bed and directs her as to where to move it before she screws it onto the wall. Once that is done Jason sets about organising his posters in the pattern they will be displayed in. Major Bernie asks if he needs any assistance but he declines, he thinks he can manage this part by himself as an independent grown-up. He does tell Major Bernie he will request her assistance when the desk needs to be moved back against the wall. Jason pins his posters and ensures there is space left on the board for the posters he is still planning on buying with his wages. He is pleased.
Auntie Serena also spends a lot of time at Jason and Major Bernie's house. Jason likes it. Auntie Serena is quite clever and knows a substantial number of answers to the television quiz shows which Jason loves to watch. Sometimes she even beats Major Bernie in the number of questions she is able to get right. Occasionally Major Bernie and Auntie Serena will get complacent whilst they watch television with Jason, and he will have to admonish them for getting distracted and kissing one another. He helpfully suggests that he sits between them to prevent the issue but they say they will learn to manage their distractions and so he does not follow through with the threat. He's secretly glad he does not have to. He prefers his armchair to the sofa.
Jason decides he does not want to be a CAA for the rest of his life. One day a lady called Imelda Cousins arrives on the ward and his Auntie Serena does not seem to like her very much. Major Bernie is not working until later on in the day so Jason spends his time trying to get his Auntie Serena to see that Ms Cousins is not very well. She tells him that he would make a good porter and Jason thinks that he agrees. He asks his Auntie Serena if he can have an application form and she seems wary of the idea. But Jason says he is just going to ask Major Bernie anyway. He thinks Major Bernie will help him to apply for the job. Being a porter sounds exciting. And there's a shortage of them so he would be helping people and not annoying them. Ms Cousins seems to know Major Bernie.
"Bernie Wolfe trauma specialist? Didn't she get medically retired from the RAMC? Rumour has it that she's wanted to go and set up a new trauma centre in the Ukraine. She appears to have been lying low for a few years but this could be her ticket out of loneliness."
Auntie Serena doesn't look impressed by this revelation and Jason thinks Ms Cousins is very uninformed regarding Major Bernie so he decides to be helpful and let her know the truth.
"Major Bernie isn't lonely and I don't think she would like to go to Ukraine. It's very cold there and her bad leg hurts more in colder temperatures. Also she's been doing some work here part time and she's not lonely at all. She's got me." Ms Cousins looks a little bit surprised.
"Oh. No husband to speak of though?" Jason thinks Ms Cousins is being very presumptuous.
"No. Major Bernie kisses girls. Just like Auntie Serena." Auntie Serena coughs at this and turns bright red and Ms Cousins looks at her oddly.
"You what?"
"Major Bernie kisses girls. Well, she actually just kisses Auntie Serena." Jason places a hand on his chin in thought. "And Auntie Serena isn't a girl, she's a woman. Major Bernie loves her very much and I think if Major Bernie were to go to set up a trauma unit in Ukraine Auntie Serena would be very sad. So would I. Major Bernie knows a lot about military history and I like talking to her about it. Have you ever been to Holby City Museum Ms Cousins?"
Ms Cousins does not seem to be following on logically and Auntie Serena looks a bit flustered. Eventually Ms Cousins tells him that she has not been to Holby City Museum so Jason decides to tell her all about it until he has to get back to his job. He reminds Auntie Serena that he would like to be a porter before he leaves.
Major Bernie arrives that afternoon and, as expected, she is happy for Jason to apply to be a porter if that is what he wants to do. She also meets Ms Cousins and tells her that she does not want to go to Ukraine because if she were there then there would only be one thing she could think about, and that would be Auntie Serena. She then also says she would also think about Jason. He is grouped with Auntie Serena as Major Bernie's family and Jason feels like he likes that. He, Major Bernie and Auntie Serena are a family. He still misses his Mum but now he has a new family to look after him. He thinks his Mum would be pleased that even though she has gone he now has two new maternal figures to help him through the struggles he faces in life.
Jason becomes a porter. It is fun and interesting and he gets to see lots of areas of the hospital. Sometimes he works on Darwin and sometimes he works on AAU and sometimes he works on other wards, too. He thinks that he is being helpful and is showing how strong he is at pushing patients around, just like when he used to help his Mum lift boxes in the newsagents and pretend he was on World's Strongest Man. His colleagues are not especially interesting to talk to, though. Often he prefers to find his Auntie Serena or Major Bernie and eats his lunch with them. If not he will see if Mr Hanssen is free and the CEO will take him up to the roof where they will share sandwiches and a flask of tea. Once, Jason also ate his lunch in the AAU staffroom with Fletch the Budgie who told him all about what he does when he goes to the gym. All in all, Jason thinks he likes Holby City Hospital. It may be his fifth favourite place in the world (first is Holby City Museum, second is Major Bernie's house, third is his Mum's old house, fourth is Auntie Serena's house).
Major Bernie now goes to the gym again. Jason asks if he can go with her once so she lets him, pays for a one day pass for him to try out some of the equipment. He doesn't like it very much. Major Bernie stays with him the whole time, and guides him through how to use the different machines. But Jason finds that his weak muscular strength and poor sense of coordination render him a risk as he tries to push bars upwards. Also, he ends up a sweaty and sticky mess and he dislikes the idea of using public showers so he stops and thanks Major Bernie for her time. Says he would rather watch her go about her fitness routine for the afternoon. Major Bernie lets him and Jason can see how strong she is and knows that the army definitely helped with that. When they go home Auntie Serena is waiting in Major Bernie's house with a hug for him and a kiss for Major Bernie. Jason tells her that he enjoyed watching Major Bernie work out because she is very strong and skilled. Auntie Serena says she agrees and thinks she would like to watch Major Bernie work out sometime. Major Bernie coughs a little bit and then asks Jason if he wants to have the first shower. He admits that he does. When he returns to the sitting room from his shower Major Bernie and Auntie Serena are both panting and look like they've been exercising. Jason asks if Major Bernie was trying to teach Auntie Serena some sit ups on the floor of the room. Auntie Serena says 'something like that' and Jason turns on the television. He thinks that maybe it was push-ups instead of sit ups.
Bernie Wolfe loves her life. She now works part time at Holby City Hospital thanks to her amazing partner Serena Campbell, who just so happens to be the auntie of Jason, the young man Bernie cares for. Bernie gets to spend hours with her little family unit, either at her own house or Serena's, and it is the best thing she's ever had in her whole entire life. She's now more or less as healthy as she's ever going to get, and knows that her strength is returning to her.
Jason now has a job as a porter and is much preferring it to when he was CAA. To Jason, the amount of pay is not an issue as long as he is enjoying himself. She admires him for his enthusiastic nature and pragmatic approach to life. She also knows that it is unlikely that she will continue being his carer for long now that he has a stable income of his own and so can be classed as an independent adult.
One day, she is called away from AAU to a difficult case which she argues with other staff about. She knows that an atriocaval shunt is the right choice of method to use but others disagree because it is risky. Bernie has no time for them to mess about erring on the side of caution when life needs to be lived in the moment. Anyway, she's a good surgeon and knows she can pull it off, no matter what research papers may say. She yells at everyone in the theatre, turns back into the army major she once was, and completes the procedure. It is a success. Mr Hanssen approaches Bernie as she is coming out of theatre and asks her to attend a meeting with him the next morning. She is not scheduled to be on shift. She furrows her brow and ploughs on, hoping she does not get dismissed.
Later on that day, Jac Naylor corners her and they have a dispute. Jac accuses her of thinking she can do as she pleases just because she's sleeping with Serena Campbell. Bernie tells Jac that who she is sleeping with does not correlate with how good a surgeon she is. The procedure was a success and defied the odds. Bernie has lived a life of being a minority fighting against the majority opinion. She isn't going to bow down to it now.
Jason is out at Holby City Museum in the evening, helping them to rearrange and clean some of the exhibits. He goes off to his volunteering session happy and excited, so Serena suggests to Bernie that they go for a meal in town to celebrate Bernie's success at wooing the hospital. Serena seems to be thrilled that Bernie performed such a difficult procedure, and cannot help looking smugly at her and telling Bernie she has talented fingers. Bernie blushes and hopes that the next day Mr Hanssen is not going to dismiss her.
They go to an Italian restaurant with an extensive wine list, and gaze at one another longingly over their wine glasses, sharing bites of pasta and chicken as the evening progresses. They finish off by sharing a raspberry cheesecake, alternating bites between each other, eyes dark as they lick at the morsels of creamy food which they feed to each other. Once the meal is over they exit hand in hand and go to collect Jason from his evening activity. They return to Serena's house and spend the night caressing and touching and kissing. Bernie comes apart readily, breathing Serena's name and hoping that somehow she can stay like this forever.
It turns out Serena is also invited to the meeting with Mr Hanssen the next morning. He shuffles some papers until they are all perfectly aligned and looks directly at Bernie, who feels more than a little like she's about to be reprimanded by her old sergeant major, the one they called The Ghost.
"Ms Wolfe. What you did yesterday was a tricky and risky procedure, one which the theatres of Holby City Hospital cannot always deliver." She nods at him.
"But I delivered it." She cannot help the remark as it falls from her lips, she's spent her entire life defending herself against self-righteous men. The edges of his mouth creep into a smile.
"It seems that you turned one of our theatres into a field hospital for the day."
"I wouldn't go as far as that, but-" Mr Hanssen interrupts her before she can continue.
"And that certain events have led to people questioning your role here." She feels her blood run cold. He's going to dismiss her. She feels Serena tense beside her.
"If you're talking about my wanting to take control…" Bernie trails off because of course that's what he's talking about. She went against the wishes of members of hospital staff who on paper are more senior than she is. Mr Hanssen continues.
"Namely that we are failing to utilise your unique talents in the best possible way." Now Bernie is confused.
"Right," is all she can manage to say after a pause. Even Serena appears to be speechless.
"You feel that the trauma facilities here in Holby are inadequate do you?" Bernie is not sure if he is trying to antagonise her or genuinely wants an answer.
"It's not just the equipment it's the training, the staff…" Bernie trails off, realising telling him his own hospital's shortcomings may not be the best possible course of action to save herself.
"The NHS is living under fiscally challenging times, Ms Wolfe." Bernie nods.
"I'm only too aware of that." That's it then, Bernie thinks. He's going to tell her the hospital cannot afford her. Her happy little bubble of surgery is going to be popped right now.
"So any budgetary outlay has to be carefully considered." He's being mean now, she thinks. Toying with her. She exhales.
"Agreed." Job done, she's dismissed.
"And having said that I'm willing to ask the board for funds for a complete overhaul of the trauma system on AAU." Bernie's head snaps towards the CEO. He cannot possibly be saying what she thinks he is saying. Beside her, Serena gasps.
"Have you, erm. Serena?" She curses herself for seeming anything less than composed. He smiles at her. Serena looks equally as shocked, he clearly hasn't run this past her either.
"If you're willing to take on a fulltime position as trauma consultant, the position is yours. Congratulations, Ms Wolfe." Henrik Hanssen dismisses them and as soon as they are out of his office Serena reaches up and kisses her. She's shocked, they both are. But she's got a future, a future in trauma surgery at Holby City Hospital beside her partner. And that feels like the best feeling in the world.
To celebrate her new job, Bernie agrees to go to Holby City Museum with Jason and Serena at the weekend, because he wants them to admire the artefacts which he spent an evening cleaning and repositioning. They have a wonderful morning wandering round, spending a considerable amount of time in the British Military in World War Two exhibit which Jason is still very pleased about. Bernie smiles as he lists facts and even engages other visitors in conversation about some of the pieces on offer. She's so very proud of him, and cannot imagine her life without him in it. Agreeing to care for Jason is possibly the greatest decision she ever made in life, Bernie thinks.
As they continue to different sections, Bernie is thrilled about what little help she now needs in order to navigate herself up and down the many steps which are inside the museum. She can now just hold Serena's hand without having to grip onto her arm for fear of crashing down a flight of stairs. It's nice, Bernie thinks, being so open and spending so much time in such a peaceful place with the people she loves.
They're reaching the exit when Jennifer the head curator appears and asks if Jason, Bernie and Serena will accompany her through to one of the staff offices. Bernie is a little bit confused as to why this is happening but she agrees. Jason, having been through the staff only door many times before, skips ahead excitedly. They sit down and Jennifer explains that a permanent vacancy for a curator has come up at the museum as one of their staff is moving to a different city. Jason looks sad as he says he likes David and will be sorry to see him go as he was so knowledgeable about munitions. Jennifer smiles gently at Jason then tells them that they would like to offer Jason the job, should he wish to accept it. Jason's grin may be the biggest Bernie has ever seen and she herself feels a bloom of pride at the thought of him working full time at the museum. He may like being a porter, but there is no job she thinks Jason would like any better in the world than being a curator at the museum where his heart lies. Beside her she hears Serena sniffle happily as Jason shakes Jennifer's hand and chatters away happily.
They go and get some celebratory cake at the museum café, where they sit as a little family unit. As she sips at her tea, Bernie is content. Feelings of safety wash over her. After the chaos of her life, she's finally found some stability. It makes her happy.
As the weeks progress and the trauma bay gets built, Bernie can feel herself positively fizzing with excitement. Normally, she doesn't view change as something to be treasured, has always preferred sticking with the tried and trusted aspects of life, but now she's raring to go. Jason hands in his notice to the hospital, and while she misses his presence on the wards every single day, she cannot help but smile when every evening he returns home to dinner with tales of behind the scenes documenting or unusual visitors who he has spoken to about the various artefacts. In fact, one week Jason comes home thrilled and says that multiple visitors have left comments in the visitors book about how much they enjoyed their visit thanks to Jason's extensive knowledge. Serena, who is eating dinner with them, hugs Jason fiercely and he invites Bernie into it, a rare display of close affection. Bernie treasures the moment.
The trauma bay gets opened and Bernie finds herself with more and more exciting cases to deal with. Obviously, she would never wish harm upon anyone, but she is glad to be faced once more with challenging injuries which stretch her surgical skills. The only problem with the trauma bay and the associated red phone is that there are increasing numbers of shifts which run over due to last minute trauma patients.
This unsettles Jason, as now he sometimes finishes his shift at the museum and does not know which house to go to for his dinner. Previously, either Bernie or Serena would message him but if they are both in theatre this is now not always possible. So Jason, as methodical as ever, asks them to come up with a rota. Bernie and Serena plan out which nights will happen where and let Jason know of this routine. All in all, it is a very efficient system. But Bernie cannot help but think that it is all a little bit silly. They are pretty much a family living out of two houses by this point, and Bernie is not sure what the point of it all is. On the rota, Jason asked for more nights to be spent at Serena's house because it is both bigger and, now he is familiar with it, he prefers the bus route to the museum from near her house. Bernie thinks that maybe a serious family discussion is in order. She just needs to prepare herself to bring up the commitment she's thinking of. Soon, she will do. Hopefully.
Serena never thought that the happiest moments of her life would occur when she was well into middle age. But they have. She has a wonderful nephew who has managed to get a job that he both loves and excels at. She has a beautiful partner who loves her as much as she loves in return. Even her daughter is now on amicable terms with her. And, her partner works with her in the trauma bay she finally has on AAU. It's the dream.
She alternates the days her family spend at her house and Bernie's bungalow. It's quite nice to have a routine, she thinks. And now she and Bernie, if they finish early, can head to Albie's with their colleagues and have a drink before they head to meet Jason. Bernie has slotted into the extended AAU family wonderfully, and Serena feels a little thrum of pleasure whenever she watches her partner joke with Fletch or discuss a television show with Morven. And, Serena thinks, the way that Bernie climbs onto a bar stool is borderline obscene. Standing behind her and gazing as her partner hoists her leg up and over to straddle the otherwise boring piece of furniture is quickly becoming one of Serena's favourite pastimes.
Sometimes, Bernie looks at Serena like she's about to say something she's been thinking about for a while, but just as quickly she shuts back down and instead Serena finds herself with her partner on top of her, those soft lips assaulting her neck with exceptional efficiency. Serena suddenly doesn't care about whatever it was Bernie was going to say. She's still around, so Serena doesn't think there's any danger of her running away. The whole Kiev conversation with Imelda clarified that. Serena still feels a bit bad that she didn't notice how unwell Imelda was until Jason pointed it out to her. Lifelong take it to the grave grudges can cloud one's vision somewhat.
Serena thinks that, having been in a relationship with Bernie for nearly two years, they should consider moving into one house together. They never spend any time apart now, and it seems impractical to forever alternate days based on Jason's specific schedule and requirements. Serena personally is not too fussed about which house they move into, or indeed if they buy a new one. Obviously her house is bigger and so more accommodating for Elinor, but if Jason really doesn't want to leave Bernie's bungalow then she's sure Ellie can manage on a sofa bed if she ever does come back to stay.
She brings up the conversation one night when she, Bernie and Jason have cleared away the remnants of their fish and chip night. Jason has sighed contentedly and expressed how much he prefers the chip shop closer to Serena's house. Bernie also agrees. Serena, for he part, takes a deep breath then addresses them both.
"Have you thought about us all moving into one house?" She expects a response of some description, but not one which involves Bernie launching herself across the empty space between them on the sofa and hugging her fiercely.
"I've been wanting to bring this up for weeks," is her breathy response whispered somewhere in the vicinity of Serena's left earlobe. It is punctuated by a brief kiss to her jaw. Serena can feel Bernie's immense relief at Serena's bringing up of the topic but cannot help but ask why Bernie didn't just bring up the subject sooner. Her awkward army medic shrugs and looks to the side guiltily.
"I didn't want to seem presumptuous." And of course that's it, Serena thinks. Of course Bernie didn't want to pin all of her hopes on Serena wanting to commit to a real and solid future with her. Now Serena's brought up the matter the guilt is gone, replaced by relief and joy. They turn to look at Jason who has a thoughtful expression on his face and is also constructing what looks like two complex lists.
"I am weighing up the positives and negatives of us all living in each house. Instinctually, I prefer Major Bernie's bungalow because it helped me to feel happy and safe again," Bernie sniffs and Serena squeezes her hand comfortingly. "But," Jason continues. "I feel that Auntie Serena's house is the much more sensible option for us to all cohabit in as a family. Major Bernie no longer struggles with stairs, the travel routes are preferable to both Holby City Museum and he hospital, and," Jason pauses and squints at some points he has highlighted. "This chip shop is far superior, as previously mentioned this evening. I believe we would be happier here in the long-term, though it saddens me to leave behind Major Bernie's bungalow, especially Cameron and Charlotte in the garden pond."
That's a point Serena hasn't considered. She has seen Bernie's koi, and knows that both the soldier and her nephew are very fond of them, especially when they're not feeling stable. Serena has witnessed both of them going to sit by the fish pond on a day when they are extremely stressed to look at the comforting movements of Cam and Charlotte. Bernie also looks down-heartened at the thought of saying goodbye to both her fish and the bungalow that became her safe haven after her medical retirement from the military. Serena has an idea.
"If we are to live here, how about we build a pond for Cameron and Charlotte in this garden? It's certainly big enough to fit one." Jason looks thrilled.
"Could I help to design it?"
"Of course you could," Bernie smiles at him then turns to Serena. "Getting a proper koi pond dug in won't be cheap. Mine came with the bungalow but I remember the guy I bought the fish off saying they were hundreds of pounds for the most basic pond." Serena shrugs.
"If we're only living in the one house then we will save on the current two lots of bills so I'm sure if we combine some of our wages we can afford it."
"I'll also pay." Jason adds in. "I don't have to pay rent on a house or flat so I have lots of my salary as savings."
"That's decided then," Bernie grins. "We'll move our stuff to here."
"Yes!" Jason agrees, then his face falls slightly. "I'll just be sad to leave the bungalow too. I've liked having two homes."
The sentiment must play on Bernie's mind because Serena comes home (on the day she worked alone because Bernie and Jason were sorting the rest of their things into Serena's house now the koi pond was finished) to find Bernie going over some figures in the sitting room. Bernie looks up when she sits down but waits until Jason emerges from his room to tell them what she's been working out.
"Jason," Bernie looks at him. "I've been working some things out and I think I have an idea. If I rent the bungalow instead of selling it, I can make enough income to keep us all living comfortably here, especially as I'm now back working full-time as a surgeon. Then, when you feel like you want to move out and live on your own, you can have the bungalow as your home."
Jason is thrilled and hugs Major Bernie in response to her idea. Then he asks if he can check over the sums and agrees that she is right about all she has worked out. It is a realistic option. He also seems very excited by the prospect of one day having his own house. Serena cannot help but feel a little bit sad at the thought of Jason not living with them in the future. She was fine with Elinor moving out, but Jason just seems so much more vulnerable. And, Serena supposes, because she missed out on so much of his life, she's loathe to let him go now. Serena thinks that's why it is so good Bernie is also still Jason's carer. She understands that while he has specific needs, he cannot be protected forever should he wish to fully embrace independent living. As they settle into family life under one roof, Serena cannot help but feel like she's finally got everything she wanted.
While living together is nothing new, that night still feels like a momentous milestone in their relationship. They're finally together, under one roof, surrounded by their own love and care for one another. They wait for Jason to head up to bed and the house to have been quiet for long enough that it's safe to assume that he's asleep, and then Serena takes Bernie's hand and leads her up off the sofa and to the stairs, where Bernie stops suddenly. Serena looks at her worriedly.
"Bernie, are you oka-"
She is cut off by Major Berenice Griselda Wolfe, ex-army medic, sweeping her off the floor and into her arms before slowly and surely carrying her up the stairs. It's not perfectly romantic because they're not young and agile and when she's been put down again at the top of the stairs Serena notices Bernie taking a moment to catch her breath, but it's wonderful all the same. Bernie grins at her wolfishly.
"I said that one day I would be strong enough again to carry you up those stairs, Serena Campbell."
"That you did, Bernie, that you did."
And without any further preamble, Serena guides them the rest of the way to what is now their shared bedroom. Living together may not be anything new, but they still spend that first night together as if it is their first. Serena certainly isn't complaining.
They all live together happily, and Jason reaches a stage in his life where he no longer technically needs care and is mulling over trying living in the bungalow at weekends. Bernie also doesn't want to keep claiming the carer's money she gets, now she's also got a job and a partner. She, Jason and Serena inform the carer's agency, and Bernie is no longer Jason's official carer. He no longer has an official anyone. This distresses him more than Serena thought it would. She speaks with Bernie one evening while Jason is at a museum evening showcase and they get everything sorted.
On Jason's next birthday, he unwraps a photo frame containing a certificate which Serena and Bernie have made together. He reads it out.
"This is to celebrate that Jason Haynes has become unofficially adopted by his Major Bernie and Auntie Serena. They promise to treat him with utmost respect and help him with any difficulties he may have because they love him." As he reads it Serena gets a tear in her eye. She had expected to get emotional as Jason read it but not this much. Jason himself looks a bit weepy, which is rare for him. Bernie, beside Serena, is doing her best to maintain a stiff upper lip, but even her supposedly unending British reserve looks like it is wavering.
"This is wonderful. Thank you Major Bernie. Thank you Auntie Serena. I felt sad when I lost my Mum but now I have two more, even if you're not allowed to be so officially. I think I might suggest an exhibit at Holby City Museum about orphans and refugees and the families they find. I might even get to display this certificate." Serena breaks down then, and it is that which finally crumbles Bernie. Jason looks at them for a while.
"Just to check, you are crying because you are happy, aren't you?"
"Yes Jason, we are." Bernie laughs through her tears.
"I don't think I could ever be happier." Serena murmurs.
And it's true. Serena doesn't think she will ever be happier. Together, they're the strongest family unit anyone could ever hope for. Together, they've met on some sort of no man's land where all of their individual battles have been won simply by them making a truce with one another. Jason is no longer consumed by the sadness and grief after the loss of his mother. Bernie is no longer consumed by the pain and emptiness of the loss of her commission. Serena is no longer consumed by the loneliness and helplessness as a result of the loss of her family. It may have taken years, but together they've made a home out of the no man's land they found themselves in. And it's the best home any of them could ever have asked for.
The End.
(a/n – was that emotional to write? Yes! Am I glad with how it turned out? I think so! Your feedback is much appreciated.)
